<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Moving On by Chikita</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25285819">Moving On</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chikita/pseuds/Chikita'>Chikita</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adoption, Alternate Universe - Adopted Siblings, Alternate Universe - Family, Angst and Fluff, Child! Tobio, Gen, Heartwarming Orphan Cliché, Kid Fic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 09:56:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,767</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25285819</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chikita/pseuds/Chikita</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Tsukishima Kei is not fit to be an older brother and probably never will be, nor is he someone who enjoys having his beliefs challenged. That’s what he had thought until Tobio joined his family.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kageyama Tobio &amp; Tsukishima Kei</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>298</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I thought about backdating this because this is technically an older fic I didn’t dare posting back then for reasons (bad lmao) but rewritten. This was born out of a self-imposed challenge to write Tsukikage, but family since I’m weak for cliché family fluff/angst. This is pretty much all this is. Not all that realistic when it comes to stuff like adoption, honestly.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“There’s something we have to tell you.”</p><p> </p><p>The words ring in Kei's ears like the school bell of his old middle school, his alarm clock at six in the morning, or any other obnoxious noise he can think of. It’s the little brother of “We have to talk”, not nearly as threatening as the former, but anxiety-inducing nonetheless.</p><p>“Sure,” he said back then, raising his eyebrows at the gentle smile on his mother’s face.</p><p>A few minutes later, he’s sitting at the dinner table with his parents. There’s food on their plates, rice with grilled chicken, but for now, it’s left untouched. The clock on the wall is ticking, the tension in the air so thick it could be sliced with a knife. Kei feels his patience wavering. He’s about to open his mouth to put an end to this torture when his mother finally speaks up.</p><p>“We’ve thought long and hard about this, and-”, she hesitates for a moment and takes a deep, shaky breath before continuing, “Your father and I decided to have another child.”</p><p>If there’s anything Kei could’ve expected, it surely isn’t this. He’s glad for thinking ahead and not eating anything. After all, choking on air, while irritating enough, is less likely to result in death than choking on a bite of chicken. His father looks alarmed, his mother gently patting his arm. The smile on her face is still there, but her posture is rigid, eyes shifting around.</p><p>“Aren’t you too old?”, is the first thing Kei’s confused mind comes up with. He bites his tongue in reflex when his father sends him a pointed glare. Guess he has a point. After all, his mother had married young and been in her early twenties when Akiteru was born. She’s not <em>that</em> old and even then, she’s always looked young enough to pass as thirty-something.</p><p>“You’re not wrong, Kei,” she says, resting her chin on her head, “Having another child at my age comes with risks. I don’t even know I’d be able to care for another newborn after almost sixteen years. It’s been so long.” She sighs and looks up at Tsukishima, almond eyes shiny with longing. It only adds to Tsukishima's confusion. So does she want another baby or-</p><p> </p><p>“That's why we’ve decided to adopt,” his father chimes in, and everything clicks together.</p><p>“An older child, not a baby,” his mother explains before Kei can rack his brains about it. “We’ve been matched with one some time ago. An orphan from a child care institution.” His mother’s angelic smile is back as if it never went anywhere, and now she looks <em>smitten.</em></p><p>Kei nods as if he’s fine with everything that’s happening, but inside him, a storm is about to break loose. So his parents, both in their mid-forties, were planning to adopt a kid for what now, months? And only <em>now</em> do they decide to drop a hint to him? What the- just what the <em>hell?</em> Isn’t this something to discuss before? Something they should ask him about?</p><p>“Does Akiteru know?” He’s out of breath as if he just ran twenty laps around the block wearing a backpack filled with boulders. It’s probably the least important question to ask since his <em>actual </em>brother won’t even be around that much. All his parents do is nod and then his mother starts explaining herself, something about them not being sure how to tell him because he’s always been the youngest, dethroning, yada yada yada. At this point, Kei is unable to absorb any more information, his head spinning from the pure chaos in his brain.</p><p>“I'm going to my room.” He stands up and picks up his plate, still filled with untouched, now cooled down chicken rice. Once he’s in the kitchen, his father loudly scolds him from afar for not eating anything that evening. He dismisses it. His parents haven’t eaten anything either.</p><p> </p><p>While he’s washing his hands at the sink, all Tsukishima can think about is that kid, and how he's going to avoid it once they’re forced to share the house. He’s in his first year of high school, so he’ll probably move out in two years for college. A pesky half-pint who demands his attention and keeps him from studying for the entrance exams is the last thing he needs.</p><p>---</p><p> </p><p>“Woah! I’m so jealous, Tsukki!”</p><p>Kei perks up from his half-eaten onigiri in his bento to glare at his best friend who’s practically <em>vibrating</em> at the other side of the table, eyes sparkling like fireflies. They’re at lunch with only five minutes left until afternoon classes and, of course, their respective club activities. He isn’t looking forward to either, but it’s not like he has better plans for the day.</p><p>“There’s no reason to,” he mutters, almost regretting his decision to spread the news early on.</p><p>It’s no surprise, though. Yamaguchi, unlike him, loves children and has always loved them as far as Kei knows. Not only does he mourn not having any younger siblings or cousins, but he also continues to bring up wanting a big family with “at least two kids and a dog” whenever they talk about their future. It’s <em>him</em> who should be getting an adoptive sibling, not a grumpy, jaded introvert like Kei who hates loud noises and couldn’t care less about anyone under twelve.</p><p>“Is it a boy or a girl?”, Yamaguchi asks, leaning forward on the table as if to not miss a word.</p><p>“No idea.” Yamaguchi’s shoulders deflate comically at his lukewarm response and he pouts, lips pursed in a way that looks kind of cute, but Tsukishima would die before telling him that.</p><p>“Okay, but what age group are we talking about here? Like, a newborn, or-”</p><p>“No, not a baby.” His parents did mention something about the child being a bit older. A few days earlier, he’d seen them redecorating Akiteru’s old room, and they hadn’t set up a crib or anything else “babyish”. He’s thankful they didn’t decide to make them share Kei’s. What if the kid cries at night, or snores, or wets the bed? <em>Ew.</em> His displeasure at the thought must’ve shown on his face because Yamaguchi is looking at him with pity, his eyes softer than ever.</p><p>“I’m sure it’s gonna be fine,” he smiles as he stands up at the ring of the bell, shouldering his bag that sports a familiar pin with a crow on it. Kei’s insides tighten at the sight, and he averts his eyes to look at one of the walls instead. It’s not his call to be bitter about something that brings his friend joy after all those years. If Yamaguchi has noticed his reaction, he doesn’t show it.</p><p>“Who knows, you might even like being a big brother. Some people just need more time.”</p><p> </p><p>“Tsk.” He rolls his eyes and proceeds to pack away his lunch, his frown deepening. There’s no parallel universe or dimension where he can imagine<em> enjoying</em> that mess of a situation.</p><p> </p><p>Big brother. <em>As if. </em>He’ll go against his own resolutions and pick up another sport before that happens.</p><p>---</p><p> </p><p>Several weeks later on a late afternoon, Kei meets the grumpiest-looking five-year-old he has ever seen in his life.</p><p>For some reason, he’d expected a sweet, prim little girl with a white bow on her head. Why the bow, he isn’t sure either. It must be the stereotype-induced image he has of an orphan.</p><p>Needless to say, the child in front of him is none of those things. He’s not a girl from what he can tell, doesn’t wear any sort of ornaments in his short, jet-black hair, and going by his facial expression, probably isn’t what one would call “sweet”. Now, disliking a child at first glance is mean, even by Kei’s standards. It’s not like the little guy had asked to be adopted. And yet, Tsukishima is far from feeling any sort of brotherly love for this little gremlin.</p><p>“This is Tobio,” his mother says, a sweet smile plastered onto her face and her hand resting on the kid’s shoulder, “Tobio, this is Kei, your new big brother. Say hello to him, will you?”</p><p>“Hello,” the gremlin says in the most mechanical, unenthusiastic voice he has ever heard and makes a quick bow, his tiny, slightly chubby hands clutching the straps of his backpack. Kei almost laughs, but he’s morally conscious enough to not bully his “little brother” on the first day of his arrival. He may be a bit of an ass at times, but he’s not cruel. At least he likes to think he’s not.</p><p> </p><p>After that mess, his parents go on to show the grem- <em>Tobio,</em> around the house for the next two hours. Kei watches the procedure from a safe distance as his mother points out all important areas, starting with, most importantly, the bathroom and ending with the room where the kid is supposed to be sleeping. Through all of the tour, Tobio tags along in silence and doesn’t ask any questions about house rules, food, or whatever else might concern a kid of his age. He’s almost <em>eerily </em>quiet. As if he’s unable to talk aside from his awkward introduction.</p><p>Even though he tries his best to not think about it too much, Kei can’t shake off the feeling that there’s something behind that mask of indifference. Maybe he was abused. Maybe his parents died in some horrible way and he witnessed all of it. Maybe none of that happened and he’s just scared shitless of being thrown from his old life into a new one, not knowing what to do. But really, who knows at that point, other than Tobio himself. It’s not like Kei, who grew up spoiled and protected and <em>loved,</em> could ever relate to the experiences of an abandoned child.</p><p>“Try to be nice to him, okay?”, Kei’s father whispers to him while his mother is in the kitchen cheerfully explaining to the kid how the sink works. Kei nods. It’s not like he has a choice if he wants to preserve the family peace.</p><p> </p><p>Dinner is as quiet as the rest of their get-together. Kei is almost thankful for Tobio not being of those overzealous, hyperactive children who talk a mile a minute, but the situation is still uncomfortable. Kei isn’t good with children, so much he knows. He can barely <em>tolerate</em> them. Small things that scamper around give him a headache, and then there’s the fact that kids of this age are just so gosh darn sensitive. You can’t say anything to them. They cry at the drop of a hat.</p><p>Kei sighs as he picks at his food, looking over at the kid on his right who’s apparently about to figure out how chopsticks work, with most of the food landing on his shirt. He glares down his plate as yet another noodle falls off before he can put it in his mouth, face scrunching up in distress, lip quivering, and at this point, Kei can’t bear to watch anymore.</p><p>“Good grief! Are you too dumb to eat?”, he hisses and leans over to grasp Tobio’s small hand in his big one, the one that’s holding the chopsticks, “Look, you have to do it like <em>this.</em>”</p><p>It takes him multiple tries to get the hang of it, but soon enough, Tobio manages to lift the first noodle to his mouth, eyes shining bright as he starts chewing. Kei shakes his head. He looks completely and utterly stupid. With a click of his tongue, he picks up a napkin from the table to dab at Tobio’s sauce-stained cheeks. Unbelievable. So he’s either never learnt how to eat with proper cutlery, or he’s just not all that smart. Maybe he grew up in a barn before the child care institution took him in. Or he was raised in the woods by a bunch of wild animals.</p><p>At that exact moment his mother appears in the doorway, phone in her hand, brows raised.</p><p>“What?” Kei hadn’t even noticed she was gone, too focused on his own musing, and the tiny disaster child, whose dirty face he’s still scrubbing at the get the rest of the sauce off.</p><p>“Nothing,” she says, and then she’s smiling again, looking almost relieved. Tobio’s mouth is busy chewing, but when he looks up at Kei with his cheeks all puffed up, his eyes are bright. Kei hates himself for what he does next, but he can’t help it.</p><p>“Did you just poke his nose?”, His father chimes in, always having a knack for timing. Tobio blinks, then goes back to eat as if nothing happened while Kei groans and buries his face in his hands. If Yamaguchi was here right now, he’d have a field day psychoanalyzing him.</p><p>---</p><p> </p><p>“Tobio is getting sleepy. Do you mind putting him to bed tonight, Kei?”</p><p>Kei looks up from his mostly finished homework on the table, then at the kid hanging off his mother’s arm. It’s late in the evening, and Tobio is already in his pajamas. They’re light blue and oversized with long, floppy sleeves and a strange bird pattern. Kei can’t decide whether they look cute on him or ridiculous, but eventually settles on the latter. Everything about that kid is ridiculous. The way he eats, the way he talks, everything down to his choppy haircut.</p><p>He grimaces, refusal on his tongue. It’s obvious she wants to involve him, push him into the role of a doting older brother, a role that still feels alien and weird. Still, he nods, reluctantly, and only winces a little when Tobio’s small hand worms its way into his. He’s still wearing that permanent scowl of his, but his hand is warm, most of his facial features relaxed. Heaven knows what it is that makes this tiny child not at least be <em>wary </em>of him.</p><p> </p><p>The walk down the hallway is spent in awkward silence until they arrive at the door “Here we go,” Kei sighs as he turns the knob. Tobio lets go of his hand and pads into the room, looking around with a starstruck expression. Not long ago, Kei’s father had painted the walls a bright orange, probably to make for a more welcoming atmosphere. It looks hideous and clashes with the rest of the furniture, but Tobio doesn’t seem to have an eye for color theory.</p><p>Aside from the colors, the room is decorated nicely. There’s a bed, a shelf with books, boxes with toys and plushies, a desk with a chair and a bean bag, everything a child might wish for. The next thing Kei spots is the backpack on the floor, the same one Tobio had been wearing at their first meeting. It’s small, worn down, and filled with random things Tobio must’ve brought from the child care institution. Kei can barely imagine what life must be in a place like that.</p><p>He’s about to tell Tobio to stop walking in circles and go to sleep already, when the little one skips up to one of the wardrobes, eyes fixed on something on top of it. Tsukishima’s first reaction is to be confused, but when he realizes what Tobio is staring at, he cringes. It’s an old, framed photo of Akiteru and him, with the two of them smiling into the camera. Judging from the volleyball in Kei’s hands, the picture was taken at least two years ago.</p><p>Before that <em>thing</em> happened.</p><p> </p><p>“The one on the left is Akiteru. You’re gonna meet him soon enough,” he says in a strained voice, figuring, that the new, unfamiliar face is what caught Tobio’s attention. He doubts kids of his age even know what a “college” is, so he doesn’t bother with an explanation. Tobio’s hands are gripping the edge of the wooden surface as he cranes his neck to face Tsukishima, eyes sparkling even brighter than before. He lifts one of his arms, finger pointing at the photo.</p><p>“Volleyball!” His eyes are blown wide and he seems to be <em>shaking</em> from head to toe like Yamaguchi sometimes does when his anxiety gets the better of him, only that Tobio doesn’t appear to be scared.</p><p>“Is that you? Do you play volleyball? What position? Can we play together?”</p><p> </p><p>Tsukishima deadpans at his reaction, that comes so unexpected he’s got no idea how to reply.</p><p>It’s the first time Tobio said something that isn’t just him parroting his mother, and then when he does, it’s about volleyball, a hobby Tsukishima dropped in middle school for reasons he still remembers in great detail. He grits his teeth. The memories hurt, his brother’s face in the crowd, him crying in his room at night, the <em>betrayal.</em> He wanted to forget all of that. And now this random kid throws himself into his life and digs his grubby little fingers into the wound.</p><p>Fate really does have a strange sense of humor. So much for “it’s gonna be fine”. <em>Pah!</em></p><p>“You’re five. I bet you can’t even hold the ball with one hand.” He forces a smirk, but it’s as fake as all the stories Akiteru told him back then, about being the ace of the team and all that other bullshit. Tobio turns away from the shelf and looks up at him, brows drawn together.</p><p>“I do!”, he protests in a loud voice, and suddenly he’s all out frowning again, said frown deepening with every following word. “But I- I never <em>had</em> anyone to play volleyball with.”</p><p>“Why that?” Surely, there were plenty of other children around at the center. They wouldn’t-</p><p> </p><p>“Tooru-nii said I’m scary. No one wants to play with scary kids who are mean and don’t smile.”</p><p>Like during dinner when he got frustrated with his noodles, Tobio’s lip is quivering. His hands are clenched into tiny fists at his sides and his eyes don’t look that dry anymore either. And yet, he’s looking straight ahead, still putting on a brave facade. It takes Kei a moment to realize Tobio is talking about the orphanage. The mental image of him stalking and glaring down older children like some kind of demon spawn comes easily. He’s got the face for it, and the lack of social skills, judging by the way he acted at their first meeting. All things that are likely to make someone an outcast. But scary? <em>Scary?</em> The kid’s about as intimidating as a puppy! And he <em>does </em>know how to smile, so what were those brats even on about?</p><p>Something in Kei’s chest tightens up, anger rising in his stomach. It’s an ugly, oppressive feeling.</p><p>“I suppose I could teach you a few things.” The words leave his mouth before his brain can catch up, “I suck at volleyball, honestly, but I’m pretty sure I know enough to teach a runt like-”</p><p>He freezes on the spot, voice getting caught in his throat like a chicken bone.</p><p>His middle school self is back to chastise him from the inside, reminding him of the day he’d sworn himself to never touch a volleyball again, never think about the disappointment after his brother had been replaced by that stupidly short and talented wing spiker. <em>No. </em>That hobby is dead. Forever. There’s a <em>reason</em> he quit before his second year of middle school. But before he can think of a way to revoke his words, there’s something tackling him. </p><p> </p><p>“Hey! You little- Ouch!” He stumbles backwards, a dull pain shooting through his back as he collides with the wall. Looking down, the first thing in his view is a head of messy black hair, tousled and slightly damp from the shower. Tobio’s hands are fisted into the hem of his shirt, almost tearing the fabric with his grip. He’s babbling something, probably volleyball-related, but with the kid’s cheek smushed against his stomach, Kei can’t make out anything coherent.</p><p>Not knowing what else to do, he crouches down to get on the boy’s level, ruffling his hair in the way Akiteru had always done. For some reason, the action comes natural to him, almost intuitive.</p><p>“There there. Let’s not get sappy, okay? It’s just a sport. What are you, a baby?” There’s a huff coming from Tobio and then he’s staring up at him with wet eyes, that still manage to make him look murderous. Like a tiny delinquent. And all Kei can do is laugh.</p><p>“Don’t make fun of me!”, Tobio complains between sniffles, tugging at his shirt with fervor.</p><p>“I’m making as much fun of you as I want,” Kei teases and goes on to further mess up Tobio’s abnormally soft and shiny hair, “You know, that’s kinda what big brothers do.”</p><p>He’s not sure why that comment, that was the exact opposite of nice, would make the kid launch himself straight into his arms and cling to his neck like a drowning man, but it does. In this very moment, all the snarky comments Kei wanted to make get stuck in his throat, and he can’t even bring himself to be annoyed about his shirt getting snot on it. He sighs, his chest aching with something that makes him feel warm and almost disgustingly soft.</p><p>“You’re not gonna leave me, are you?” Tobio’s voice comes out muffled against the crook of his neck, but Kei catches every word. He’s is clinging to him in a position that’s physically uncomfortable for both of them, but Kei couldn’t care less. Ironic, considering how he’d raised his hackles against the whole adoption scheme when his parents brought it up.</p><p>“Of course not, stupid. I live here, you know?” The response is a low, sulky grumble, and Kei continues with a smirk Tobio can’t see. He doubts the kid understands any of his jokes.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m not going anywhere. Don't think you'll get rid of me that easily,” he says, and means every word.</p><p> </p><p>They stay like this for a few more minutes, until Tobio’s iron grip starts to loosen. Kei hoists him up with ease, surprised by his light weight for his size, and carries him to the bed. His concerns about Tobio being too scared to sleep alone on his first day dissolve when the kid flops over in a matter of seconds. Kei shakes his head at Tobio sprawled out on the sheets like a rag doll, the only reminder of their argument being the faint redness under his eyes.</p><p>“How do you do it?”, Kei whispers into the night as he drapes a blanket over his brother’s small body, careful not to wake him up. Tobio doesn’t even flinch. His eyes are still closed, chest heaving with slow, even breaths, the permanent scowl almost completely vanished from his face. He looks peaceful, even when he shouldn’t. Abandoned by his family, rejected by his peers, then ending up in a new home with strangers as parents and an asshole brother who can’t even take care of a house plant. He’s really had it rough so far in his short life.</p><p>But then again, if a dumbass orphan child like Tobio, who’s been through all kinds of crap, can put his past behind and learn to trust again, why is it so hard for Kei to do the same?</p><p>---</p><p> </p><p>Later that night, Kei is sitting cross-legged on his bed, his back leaning against the wall. He hasn’t heard anything from Tobio, so he’s probably still out like a light. The lamp on Kei’s bedside table is on, however, and even though he’s exhausted, he doesn’t feel like sleeping. So he does what he always does whenever he’s facing a dilemma of that kind. He stretches out to fish his phone from the bedside table, switches it on, and makes a call to Yamaguchi.</p><p>“Hey, Tsukki!”, his friend greets him after answering the call on the first ring, “How’s your new sibling? You have to tell me everything!” Tsukishima groans, but it’s not like he’d expected anything else. Yamaguchi has been sitting on hot coals since Tsukishima had told him about the whole adoption thing. Of course, he wants to know every single detail.</p><p>So he provides. He tells him about their first meeting, about the noodle incident, and of course, how Tobio discovered that stupid photo of him and Akiteru. Yamaguchi listens to him, laughs when one of Tobio’s weird quirks gets brought up and speculates why Tobio might be acting the way he does. For an only child, Yamaguchi sure knows a lot about kids.</p><p> </p><p>“What about you? Did anything weird happen during volleyball practice?”, Kei asks after they spent about an hour talking about foster care, adoption laws, and other related topics. It’s odd. When was the last time they talked about Yamaguchi’s volleyball club? Thinking about it, that was probably his fault. Until today, Kei had been avoiding the topic like the plague.</p><p>“Ehh...the usual. It was fun though.” He lets out a nervous laugh, but there’s a fondness to his voice that makes Kei feel things he doesn’t want to feel. “They’re all excited about the match next week, but I’m...still nervous about my jump floater. I hope it works better than the last time I tried and I actually score a few points. Don’t want to disappoint the team, you know?”</p><p>“You won’t. You practiced more than enough, didn’t you? I’m sure you did.” Kei recalls him mentioning extra practice with Shimada-san after school at some point, but they hadn’t talked about anything beyond that. Yamaguchi hums in response but doesn’t sound convinced yet.</p><p>“If it helps your morale, I could come and watch. I have the day off. Maybe I’ll even bring the kid.”</p><p>The mental image makes him chuckle. Surely, Tobio has never been to a volleyball match. He can just imagine his dumb face, pupils wide like saucers and cheeks pink from excitement as his eyes follow the players on the court, giving Kei even more ammo to tease him.</p><p>“You’d be okay with that? Didn’t you say you never wanted to set a foot in another gym for the rest of your life?” Kei grips his phone a bit tighter, face flushing with heat. Framed like<em> that,</em> his former statement makes him sound like a wuss. Besides, it wasn’t like he planned to skip regular gym class for his full three years of high school like some pathetic coward.</p><p>“I wouldn’t offer if I wasn’t. Also, I said that in middle school. That’s old news and you know it.”</p><p>“Sorry, Tsukki.” There’s a hint of amusement to his tone, “I'm looking forward to it then. Really.” Kei nods to himself, silently thanking his friend for knowing when to leave him be and not probe deeper. It’s almost midnight, and he’s not ready for that kind of conversation.</p><p> </p><p>After they both said their goodbyes, Kei ends the call, plugs his phone into its charging port, and switches off his lamp to submerge the room in complete darkness. It’s comforting. Familiar.</p><p>Falling back into the pillows, his thoughts switch to volleyball yet again, and he remembers Akiteru and him playing in the backyard when they were younger, tossing the ball back and forth. He thinks of his new little brother, the stupid twinkle in his eyes when he spotted that picture of them together, the heartbreak when he confessed his fear of being left behind. With a huff, Tsukishima closes his eyes and pulls the blanket up to his chin, waiting for sleep to take over.</p><p>There’s being stuck in the past, and then there’s moving on. At last, it’s time for him to catch up.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Like hell, he’s going to lose to a preschooler.</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Bonus chapter, sorry this took forever</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>“Where did you learn that serve? Why didn’t you play longer? Who’s that setter over there?”</p><p> </p><p>“Tobio, he can only answer one question at a time.” Kei sighs as he taps the kid’s shoulder, barely resisting the fond smile that wants to force its way onto his face. Even before entering the gym, Tobio has been overflowing with excitement, so much so that Kei was afraid he’d stop breathing.</p><p>Now, the match is over and Yamaguchi is joining them on the ranks, still clad in his black jersey. He looks exhausted but happy after his team’s victory, a content smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he indulges Tobio’s volleyball obsession. It’s an odd image. Tobio, not unlike Kei, isn’t good with people, reserved, and sometimes even shy around strangers. But apparently, all it takes is one mention of volleyball to flip a switch in his little pea brain.</p><p>“The one with the beard who scored the winning point is our ace, Asahi,“ Yamaguchi says with a nod towards the tall guy currently being harassed by his libero and the rest of his team, but mostly his libero. Tobio’s eyes seem to grow even larger, pupils dilating in a way that makes him look like one of those baby seals they like to show in nature documentaries. “He quit volleyball for a few months, but then he came back, and now he’s one of our best players.”</p><p>Kei tries his best not to focus on the topic at hand and more on his dumb little brother, who’s hanging onto Yamaguchi’s every word. There’s a strange feeling in Kei’s gut. It’s frustrating, having to listen to a conversation about something that used to play a more prominent role in his life, something he was nearly as passionate about as Tobio. Only for it to one day just <em>end.</em></p><p>It’s getting late. Maybe they should cut this short and just go back h-</p><p> </p><p>“Tsukki! Long time no see! Hey hey hey!”</p><p> </p><p>Kei jumps at the loud noise. Aside from Yamaguchi, who’s still animatedly talking to Tobio, there aren’t many people who call him that. <em>Right.</em> He doesn’t have to turn around to know who’s standing there but when he does, his heart rate speeds up. Kuroo looks exactly like Kei remembered him with his rooster hair and cheeky grin, and so does Bokuto, albeit a bit taller than he was in middle school. Something about their clothes and the huge backpacks makes them look like dweeby tourists and at the end of the day, that’s probably what they <em>are.</em></p><p>“Hellooo!” A little boy is sitting on Bokuto’s shoulders, waving at Kei and Yamaguchi with a wide toothy grin. He looks to be around Tobio’s age, maybe one or two years younger.</p><p>“Why are you here? What are you doing in Miyagi?”, Kei tries his best to hide his surprise at his “friends” from his last middle school summer camp showing up in his hometown for no apparent reason, “And where did you get that kid from? Did you steal it?”</p><p>“We wanted to watch the game, duh!”, Bokuto puffs his chest out, making the child giggle and grab onto his hair for safety, “And this up here is my lil’ bro. I’m on babysitting duty today.”</p><p>“He looks nothing like you.” Fair enough, the kid does have a similar facial expression, but his hair is messy and orange, unlike the silvery color of Bokuto’s gelled strands. Maybe he’s a cousin of some sort or adopted like Tobio, but <em>no,</em> that would be too much of a coincidence. Aside from that, does he really want to imagine Bokuto of all people as a babysitter?</p><p> </p><p>Kuroo starts laughing. “They’re stepbrothers, but Bokuto always flips when I call them that.”</p><p>“Because stepbrother sounds like step<em>mother</em> and everyone knows stepmothers are evil!” Bokuto shoots his buddy a pointed glare and crosses his arms, pouting like a child himself.</p><p>“You’re watching too many western movies. They’re frying your brain,” Kuroo shoots back.</p><p>“Hey, Shouyou loves Snow White. It’s a great movie with important life messages about-”</p><p>“Bullshit! Shouyou only likes it because there are dwarves in it. Dwarves who <em>sing.”</em></p><p> </p><p>Kei rolls his eyes at the heated discourse about animated children’s movies, but as long as they don’t talk to him about volleyball, he couldn’t care less. He’s only here to make Tobio happy because that’s what good brothers do apparently. Akiteru would’ve done the same if Kei had a comparable interest in hockey or baseball. This has nothing to do with him.</p><p>
  <em>Speaking of Tobio...</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, and I suppose the grumpy one belongs to you, Tsukki?”, Bokuto reverts his attention back to him, “You <em>do</em> look alike. Mostly just the face, though. Did you dip his hair in ink?”</p><p>“He’s not-” Kei tries to explain, but goes quiet when he spots Tobio at his side locking eyes with the other child. They’re both quiet, as if there’s some kind of chemical reaction going on. It’s an unusual sight. Tobio isn’t good with people. Even in preschool, he tends to ignore the other kids, who, from what Kei had seen, aren’t all that eager to integrate him. The teachers have nothing to contribute either, repeatedly calling him difficult and even antisocial.</p><p>A frustrated huff leaves his lips, his eyes narrowing as he remembers the blank expression on Tobio’s face when he picked him up from the playground one afternoon. The anxious glint in his eyes as he grabbed onto his hand. How he hadn’t left his side for the entire evening as if he was afraid he’d evaporate on the spot, fussing and crying at bedtime like a much younger child until Kei had agreed to let him sleep in his room. His parents had tried to explain it, told him that all adopted kids suffer from separation anxiety, that it would pass on its own. But Kei knew the real reason.</p><p> </p><p><em>Brats. </em>All of them. Even the adults. At least the kids had an <em>excuse</em> to be “difficult”.</p><p> </p><p>“Looks like you’re gonna make a new friend today,” Bokuto says, laughing as he crouches down to let the boy slide down his back. Despite Tobio still wearing his trademark frown that makes him unapproachable to even the friendliest of kids, the redhead struts right up to him. He must be either very brave or very stupid, but honestly, that might work in Tobio’s favor.</p><p> </p><p>“Hi, I’m Shouyou, I’m six years old and I like volleyball. Nice to meet you!”, he says with an energetic bow and beams at Tobio like the sun incarnated. For a kid more or less related to Bokuto, the personified chaos, he does have good manners. The same, however, couldn’t be said for Tobio.</p><p>“You can’t be six. You’re too short,” he says in a blunt, gravely tone, making Shouyou gasp and Kei facepalm. <em>There it is</em>. Tobio’s lack of tact and social awareness that dooms him to be forever alone. As a responsible older brother, he should’ve intervened and at least scolded Tobio for being rude, but...<em>well,</em> he’s not wrong. The other boy looks four at most and is almost a full head shorter than Tobio, not counting his hair. Of course Tobio would think he’s younger.</p><p>Shouyou’s eyes are wide in shock, tiny hands fisted near his sides until he’s done gasping for air. He points a shaky finger at Tobio, looking way more offended than a kid his age should.</p><p>“I-I may be short but I can jump a-and run very fast! I’m faster than all the other kids at school.”</p><p>“You are?” Tobio is still frowning, but now there’s a bit of a mischievous look in his eyes.</p><p>“Y-Yeah! I can prove it.” Shouyou squeaks in that obnoxious little kids’ voice, jumping up and down like a rubber ball, “Let’s have a race! Right now! To the vending machine. I’ll beat you!”</p><p>“No, I’ll beat <em>you!”,</em> Tobio yells back and before Kei can shake his head about their less than intelligent conversation, they’re running off as if their lives depended on it. Bokuto and Kuroo are laughing while Kei is left to wonder how it took him so long to discover Tobio’s competitive side. He’d never seen him race any of the other kids, let alone one he just met. So much for being antisocial.</p><p>“I’ll look after the boys so they won’t get lost,” Yamaguchi says, flashing Kei his most innocent smile, “And you three can, um...talk if you want. I bet you have a lot to catch up on.” Kei opens his mouth in protest, but before he can tell his friend he’d rather have him stay he’s gone with the wind, leaving him alone with <em>those</em> guys.</p><p> </p><p>That <em>traitor.</em> No way in hell was that not intentional. But what do they always say? Face of an angel, heart of a demon?</p><p> </p><p>“So, we kinda expected you to stand on the court today and not up here,” Kuroo starts the interrogation that was bound to come, fixating him with a smirk “What happened, huh? Sick? Injured? Suspended for insulting the referee?” Kei feels cornered, like a mouse in front of both a cat and a bird of prey, but he refuses to let his intimidation show. He’s <em>not</em> a coward.</p><p>“I don’t play volleyball anymore,” he replies, willing his voice to sound as nonchalant as possible. It’s the truth. He doesn’t, aside from a few private sessions with Tobio. It’s nothing to be ashamed of either, let alone anyone’s business but his own.</p><p>Bokuto stares at him in disbelief, tilting his head like he hasn’t heard him right. “Woah! But why? You were one of our best blockers at the camp. Was there a reason or did you just quit out of nowhere?”</p><p>“Times change.” Kei shrugs and puts on a smile that he prays doesn’t look as painful as it feels on the inside, “What, did you expect me to stick with one hobby for the rest of my life?”</p><p>“Hey, no need to be all defensive, “ Kuroo steps closer and puts a warm hand on his shoulder, squeezing it a bit too tightly for his comfort, “We’re not here to lecture you or anything.”</p><p>“Yeah, we’re not your teachers. That would be weird with just a two year age gap.” Bokuto walks up to his other side and slaps his back, laughing at his joke that wasn’t even funny.</p><p>“But if you ever change your mind, I’d love to play against you sometimes. Doesn’t matter if it’s an official match or not,” Kuroo says in a casual tone, sounding oddly at peace with the whole situation. Kei’s shoulders drop as the tension leaves his body, confused about Kuroo leaving him alone instead of pushing and poking like he’d always done when they were twelve. A smaller part of him wants to snarl at Kuroo in childish defiance and tell him that he won’t <em>ever</em> change his mind, but he’s got enough self-control and -respect to not do that.</p><p> </p><p>“Same here. Man, I’m starving. That match lasted forever. Hey, Kuroo, let’s get some curry!”</p><p>“Your stomach’s like a black hole,” Kuroo says with a roll of his eyes before looking back at Kei “You’re hungry too, Tsukki? You look like you haven’t eaten anything in a week.”</p><p>“You can go without me. I’ll join you later.” Kei waves them off, ignoring Kuroo’s snide remark about his lanky stature and the nickname that only Yamaguchi was allowed to use.</p><p> </p><p>Once he’s sure they’re gone, he props himself up on one of the seats and lets his eyes roam over the now empty court below. The lights are still on, but without the familiar noise of balls hitting the floor, the squeaking of shoes and the voices of the players calling for the ball, it’s almost unsettling. The gym itself is nothing to write home about either, but it looks similar to the one from his old middle school. The one he and Yamaguchi used to play in every other day. The memories make something in him clench up.</p><p>It’s stupid. He should feel relieved. <em>Free.</em> No one’s here to pressure him into doing things. It was his decision to leave the volleyball club and even Yamaguchi had accepted it without a single complaint, putting up with the strain of practice, the losses and hardships all on his own. Despite being such a nervous, anxious person, he has always been braver than him.</p><p>Like Tobio. The gremlin child. The main reason why he had even set a foot in Karasuno’s gym today. He should probably check on him in case he’d crashed into a wall somewhere and hurt his head. With a deep sigh, Kei stands up and sneaks a last longing glance at the court before leaving for good. Apparently, if there’s one thing he hates more than being disappointed, it’s having regrets.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Maybe the team could use another backup blocker. After all, it never hurt to ask.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Phew...I just realized that a more skilled writer would probably make this into a longer fic with all the difficult stuff I've touched upon here but...I'm just vibing here. Sorry if this seems a little uninspired but I wanted that Bokurotsukki interaction, also AUs where Shouyou and Bokuto are related? The cutest!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>